1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ink printing systems, and, more particularly, to an ink identification and detection system, with ink for use therewith.
2. Description of the Related Art
An ink jet imaging apparatus, such as an ink jet printer, forms an image on a print medium, such as paper, by ejecting ink onto the print medium. Such an ink jet printer may include a reciprocating printhead carrier that transports one or more printheads across the print medium along a bi-directional scanning path defining a print zone of the printer. Each printhead includes a nozzle array having a plurality of ink jetting nozzles, with at least one micro-fluid ejection device (resistive heater, piezoelectric device, etc.) associated with each nozzle. Each printhead is in fluid communication with an ink tank containing ink.
In some printing systems, the ink tank is integrated with at least one printhead to form an ink jet printhead cartridge. In other printing systems, the ink tank is separate from, or separable from, the printhead, wherein the ink tank may be carried by the printhead carrier, or alternatively, the ink tank is located off-carrier.
A color printhead, for example, may include multiple nozzle arrays, with each nozzle array configured to selectively eject ink of a particular color of a plurality of colors of ink, e.g., cyan, magenta, yellow, and/or diluted forms thereof. Each color of ink is contained in an ink tank containing ink of the particular color.
A monochrome printhead, for example, may include one or more nozzle arrays configured to selectively eject monochrome ink, e.g., black ink. The monochrome ink is contained in an ink tank containing the monochrome ink.
What is needed in the art is an ink identification and detection system, with ink for use therewith.